West Virginia magistrate appears before panel over mistakes

W.Va. News

Nov 28, 2017

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission is reviewing the case of a magistrate accused of making mistakes in cases in which two men died.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports Kanawha County Magistrate Jack Pauley appeared for a hearing Monday with the commission and admitted to the charges against him. He said he was trying to keep things moving in the magistrate court system.
One instance involves a case that Pauley took over because another magistrate was out. Because of a mistake, a man who was to be released from jail didn’t get out and killed himself. In another case, Pauley left his shift early and didn’t sign an arrest warrant. The man who was to be arrested was shot and killed that night.
The commission’s deputy counsel recommended 45 days’ suspension without pay and public censure.
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Information from: The Charleston Gazette-Mail, http://wvgazettemail.com.